2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I liked the format, and frankly, the best teams should get a shot at hosting — it ups the stakes past just getting to the playoffs and hoping to have a hot goalie down the stretch to make the NCAAs.

GFM

This week, lower seeds NoDak and Providence will essentially be home teams, in a system that supposedly uses "neutral" sites. At least with our new format, we've dispensed with the objective of neutral sites, and given home ice to the teams who have earned it. We can tell our teams that if you don't want to play road games in March, win more games in October through February. I'm not sure what the NCAA can tell Harvard and BU, but I guess that's their business.

We've also avoided playing real neutral site games in places where no one will show up, and where there will be no atmosphere for those in attendance, and some really bad visuals for those watching on TV. We had a championship that felt and looked like a championship.

Well done, Tech, both on the results and on the crowd and atmosphere you provided for Saturday's game.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

This week, lower seeds NoDak and Providence will essentially be home teams, in a system that supposedly uses "neutral" sites. At least with our new format, we've dispensed with the objective of neutral sites, and given home ice to the teams who have earned it. We can tell our teams that if you don't want to play road games in March, win more games in October through February. I'm not sure what the NCAA can tell Harvard and BU, but I guess that's their business.

We've also avoided playing real neutral site games in places where no one will show up, and where there will be no atmosphere for those in attendance, and some really bad visuals for those watching on TV. We had a championship that felt and looked like a championship.

Well done, Tech, both on the results and on the crowd and atmosphere you provided for Saturday's game.

I'll 2nd the comment on having a championship that looks like a title game. Really reminds me of the packed gyms you see in the small D-1 bouncy ball conference tournaments. Hopefully that will be sustained once the novelty wears off.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

This week, lower seeds NoDak and Providence will essentially be home teams, in a system that supposedly uses "neutral" sites.

Let's be honest - the NCAA tourney does not desire to maintain a neutral site. Their desire is to put butts in the seats and make money. Otherwise every year's bracket would have 100% integrity and would completely disregard travel distance (16v1, 15v2, etc.)
Ryan

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I'll 2nd the comment on having a championship that looks like a title game. Really reminds me of the packed gyms you see in the small D-1 bouncy ball conference tournaments. Hopefully that will be sustained once the novelty wears off.

I think the championship game will always do well. However your 1st and 2nd round games might not reach peak capacity for the high seeds. Fans might wait for more important games. Did anyone come close to selling out their first two round games this season?
Ryan

 

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

Let's be honest - the NCAA tourney does not desire to maintain a neutral site. Their desire is to put butts in the seats and make money. Otherwise every year's bracket would have 100% integrity and would completely disregard travel distance (16v1, 15v2, etc.)
Ryan

If butts in the seats is what they want, they better quit using Cincinnati as a regional.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I like the new format that the WCHA used for the playoffs. I have always wanted the regular season to mean more, and this does just that.

Does it suck only having one week notice on where the Championship game will be held? Yes, but it also gives it the best chance of having a championship atmosphere.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I think the championship game will always do well. However your 1st and 2nd round games might not reach peak capacity for the high seeds. Fans might wait for more important games. Did anyone come close to selling out their first two round games this season?
Ryan

I disagree with the reason...the reason things will likely struggle is because of spring break.

 

[giwan]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I disagree with the reason...the reason things will likely struggle is because of spring break.

No question it's a spring break issue. If anything I would think it gets better as it catches on. One can argue that the playoffs before had the same issue with 2 of 3 in the first week but you knew you would not be seeing them the next week. The schools and communities need to be creative to get people at the games.

I think the format is excellent.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

Does it suck only having one week notice on where the Championship game will be held? Yes, but it also gives it the best chance of having a championship atmosphere.

I've read that we're going to a 24-team schedule soon, maybe as early as next year. (I'll have to look up the press release and follow-on media stuff about that for timing.). I wonder if the plan here is to start the playoffs a week earlier and either do three straight, three-game series or provide a week off between the semis and final game to let people set up accommodations. But let's be honest:

1. If UAH, UAF, or UAA are the host school, it's not really going to matter if there's a one-week turn. The travel is going to suck. It sucks less to Alabama, but it still sucks.

2. For BG/MTU/LSSU/FSU/NMU, the chances are that the travel isn't going to be that bad (since it's 50-50 that their opponent will be a short drive away), and none of those barns are huge, anyway. Also, none of them are in big metro areas (don't talk to me about being close to Toledo, Falcon fanatics). The fact of the matter is that the locals will fill the place.

3. For the Minnesota schools, we actually have a good-problem-to-have. Both of those buildings are pretty solid facilities, and while the locals will help fill them up, they probably won't fill it completely. I'm thinking Mankato more than Bemidji, but it applies to both schools.

I think that this is the best approach. It beats rotating the tournament like College Hockey America sorta did (RMU never hosted).

GFM

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I've read that we're going to a 24-team schedule soon, maybe as early as next year. (I'll have to look up the press release and follow-on media stuff about that for timing.). I wonder if the plan here is to start the playoffs a week earlier and either do three straight, three-game series or provide a week off between the semis and final game to let people set up accommodations. But let's be honest:

1. If UAH, UAF, or UAA are the host school, it's not really going to matter if there's a one-week turn. The travel is going to suck. It sucks less to Alabama, but it still sucks.

2. For BG/MTU/LSSU/FSU/NMU, the chances are that the travel isn't going to be that bad (since it's 50-50 that their opponent will be a short drive away), and none of those barns are huge, anyway. Also, none of them are in big metro areas (don't talk to me about being close to Toledo, Falcon fanatics). The fact of the matter is that the locals will fill the place.

3. For the Minnesota schools, we actually have a good-problem-to-have. Both of those buildings are pretty solid facilities, and while the locals will help fill them up, they probably won't fill it completely. I'm thinking Mankato more than Bemidji, but it applies to both schools.

I think that this is the best approach. It beats rotating the tournament like College Hockey America sorta did (RMU never hosted).

GFM

I would think the reduction in conference games would be about creating more open weekends to schedule NC with the extra week of conference tournament.

 

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I would think the reduction in conference games would be about creating more open weekends to schedule NC with the extra week of conference tournament.

Speaking of scheduling NC games, PSU and OSU made the tournament this year while each scheduling 5 AH games and 2 games with ASU (and yes, I know PSU got the autobid, but would have made it even with a Saturday loss). Math people, help me out here. Have we been doing this wrong? Is the key to a good RPI getting easier home wins as opposed to hoping to get road splits against top-notch competition? Or was this just a freaky year?

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

Speaking of scheduling NC games, PSU and OSU made the tournament this year while each scheduling 5 AH games and 2 games with ASU (and yes, I know PSU got the autobid, but would have made it even with a Saturday loss). Math people, help me out here. Have we been doing this wrong? Is the key to a good RPI getting easier home wins as opposed to hoping to get road splits against top-notch competition? Or was this just a freaky year?

I think its pretty obvious that winning is the most important, the rule seems to be play the most difficult games you know you can win...as far as helping your autobid chances...preparing you for the tournament is a different issue.

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I've read that we're going to a 24-team schedule soon, maybe as early as next year. (I'll have to look up the press release and follow-on media stuff about that for timing.). I wonder if the plan here is to start the playoffs a week earlier and either do three straight, three-game series or provide a week off between the semis and final game to let people set up accommodations.

The Commish was on the Beaver Radio Network during the Saturday Bowling Green/Bemidji game and he mentioned that a 24 game schedule is being bantered around. Before the league pulls the trigger on it though, he wants to make sure that teams will be able to fill those games. The logistics of the setup are still up in the air. Here is the link to the Beaver Radio Network Page:

http://beaverradionetwork.com/?p=7285

I thought about splitting into two five team "divisions" and playing everyone in your division twice and then everyone in the other division once, but that is 26 games. I guess it would be something like this (as an example for the first year):

BSU Plays Mankato 4 time as its rival (4 games)
BSU plays the rival pair of UAH and BG four times each (8 games)
BSU plays all other rival pairs two times each, one team at home, one team on the road (12 games)

The pair you play four times in years two through four would rotate then. The teams you play two times would switch up home and road.

That would mean 10 to 14 non-conference games to fill depending on use of the "Alaska Exemptions".

 

[gfmorris]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

CHA teams will be able to tell you that having fewer conference games don't necessarily means that you're going to get the OOC games, and certainly not at home.

GFM

 

[beaverhockeyfan]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

CHA teams will be able to tell you that having fewer conference games don't necessarily means that you're going to get the OOC games, and certainly not at home.

GFM

You and I have been there, so I know what you are saying. Are teams willing to give up one conference home series (and one conference road series) based on the fact they MIGHT get one or two home non-conference series? You have to have willing dance partners, and those aren't always easy to find. The Commish did say in that interview that he would like to see WCHA teams filling their non-conference schedule with local/regional rivals whenever possible.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

CHA teams will be able to tell you that having fewer conference games don't necessarily means that you're going to get the OOC games, and certainly not at home.

GFM

Oh, I definitely think that the WCHA is at the appropriate number of conference games because of the alaska exemption.

 

[MavsFan]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

I think the championship game will always do well. However your 1st and 2nd round games might not reach peak capacity for the high seeds. Fans might wait for more important games. Did anyone come close to selling out their first two round games this season?
Ryan

I disagree with the reason...the reason things will likely struggle is because of spring break.

Yeah, we only got one round of home games, and it was during spring break, so it's hard to judge.

 

[bravohankins]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

If butts in the seats is what they want, they better quit using Cincinnati as a regional

Kind of hard when NOBODY but UND and Miami are willing to even submit a bid to host. BG hosted with Toledo a few years back. The Huntington Center lost their rear end on it. They won't be bidding again, trust me.

If they wanted to help attendance in Cincy maybe they should had put OSU there. However, they couldn't because the committee didn't want to force Denver to play UND in Fargo and like I said UND bids EVERY FREAKING YEAR. Meanwhile Providence gets to play basically home games for the 2nd time in 3 years as a #4 seed!! That's a joke and Harvard has every right to be upset, which they are.

The current NCAA regional model is broken and I'm not sure how you fix it.....8 campus sites followed by 4 campus sites like it used to be....IDK. I do know that some of the most raucous home BG games I was ever at were the NCAA games they hosted in the 70's and 80's.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: 2017 WCHA Playoff Thread - Home Ice Advantage

Kind of hard when NOBODY but UND and Miami are willing to even submit a bid to host. BG hosted with Toledo a few years back. The Huntington Center lost their rear end on it. They won't be bidding again, trust me.

If they wanted to help attendance in Cincy maybe they should had put OSU there. However, they couldn't because the committee didn't want to force Denver to play UND in Fargo and like I said UND bids EVERY FREAKING YEAR. Meanwhile Providence gets to play basically home games for the 2nd time in 3 years as a #4 seed!! That's a joke and Harvard has every right to be upset, which they are.

The current NCAA regional model is broken and I'm not sure how you fix it.....8 campus sites followed by 4 campus sites like it used to be....IDK. I do know that some of the most raucous home BG games I was ever at were the NCAA games they hosted in the 70's and 80's.

I'd like to see Green Bay bid again.

 

[davyd83]

I'd like to see Green Bay bid again.

It won't happen again soon because of the girls state BBall tourney at the Resch.

As for the possibility of 4 additional NC games, it's difficult getting a split of NC games right now. Michigan Tech had no NC games in their rink this year and many others only have 2 or 3. Good luck.